The Last Great Adventure
by 247wonder
Summary: Hiccup has been blown hopelessly off course in his latest expedition. However, an unexpected adventure awaits him on an iceberg, of all places. The last place he would expect to find the one thing he's been missing...
1. Lost (Again)

**Chapter 1: Lost (Again)**

It had been a perfect day for exploring. Emphasis on had been.

Hiccup looked at the atlas again. They had gotten blown way off the map. Not only that, but the fog reduced visibility to less than a few paces ahead. He sighed, folding up the book and stuffing it in his bag. Toothless gave a nervous cry.

"It's okay, bud." Hiccup assured him, patting the dragon's neck. It was all too familiar. They had gotten lost just like this countless times. Somehow, this seemed different. There had not been a landmark for miles, only water. With every wingbeat, the air grew colder. Hiccup could only guess where they were. Far, far to the north, to be sure, but just how far?

Passing through another snow flurry, Hiccup shook off ice, sending his thoughts away with them. He had to stay focused. Toothless wouldn't be able to fly much longer. They would need a place to land, and soon.

xxx

Just when all hope seemed lost, and Hiccup was ready to surrender to the waters below, land appeared through the mist.

"Thank the gods!" He murmured, barely able to speak. His lips were turning blue, and Toothless was covered in frost. The dragon spotted the landing spot and dropped from the sky, too tired to land properly. Hiccup tumbled out of the saddle and landed face-first on the ice. Despite there being snow all around, there was not an inch of powder on the ground. Everything was packed down, hard and slick. Hiccup struggled to his feet, searching for some place to take shelter.

Toothless moaned.

Hiccup ran to his dragon, finding the poor creature on his side. The Night Fury shook with freezing spasms, whimpering. Hiccup swallowed. The dragon's wing lay at an unnatural angle, broken.

"No," he groaned, "No, no, no… Toothless… Toothless, get up…"

The dragon stirred, but made no move to stand.

"Come on, you dumb dragon!" Hiccup shouted, not out of anger, but out of fear. If Toothless stayed in the cold too long, he could die. They would both die.

Toothless shuddered again, but still didn't move. Hiccup, still shivering himself, rubbed his bare hands together, trying to create some warmth. Bending down, he put his arms around the dragon's neck. Lifting with what little strength he had left, he urged Toothless to rise.

"Come on, come on! You have to get up!"

Toothless bellowed, pulling his feet under his body.

"There you go," Hiccup sighed, only somewhat relieved. Neither of them would be able to walk very far in this condition. Hiccup looked around again. The iceberg's tip gouged the grey sky, a lonely mountain in a sea of frigid blackness. As if a miracle had been sent from above, a dark opening yawned from the base of the slope. An ice cave.

xxx

It felt like miles of walking to drag themselves into the shelter of the cave. Toothless collapsed again, too weak to even cry out in pain as he landed on his mangled wing.

Hiccup twitched with violent shudders. The cold beckoned, a painful, icy death awaited. Was this really the end? After all the peril he had faced, could it really all come down to this? It seemed pathetic. Vikings were supposed to be tough, enduring. Able to brave any storm or freezing wind.

No… Hiccup thought to himself, It won't end this way…

With barely enough strength to breathe, Hiccup scooted farther in. The cave was deep. Deeper than he had expected. They had to go farther in…

An orange shadow caught his eye. Momentary, fleeting. A flicker of yellow in the throat of a blue ice monster.

Light… Thought Hiccup. … Fire…

Even his thoughts were dwindling. He had to try…

"... Help…" He rasped. The cold stabbed into his mouth. He shook again, pressing his lips together. Tiny spikes of ice stabbed at him from all sides, making his body prickle with pain. He tried again, using the last of his breath;

"Help-!"

Then, there was darkness.


	2. The stranger in the Cave

**Chapter 2: The Stranger in the Cave**

Hiccup opened his eyes slowly, listening to the distant crackle of flames that echoed all around. There were voices, somewhere. He couldn't tell how many. Mumbling, whispering. The cave seemed to distort everything.

Too weary to think, Hiccup stared at the ceiling, wondering where he was. It took a few minutes to remember. Flying… the iceberg…

A cave.

Toothless… where was Toothless?

Panic-stricken, Hiccup shot upright, immediately regretting it. Pain stabbed through his skull. Adding to the headache, Hiccup pulled himself up, putting one hand on the wall to steady himself. Pressing the other hand against his temple in a vain attempt to ease the pain, he looked around.

Toothless lay nearby, against the opposite wall.

Staggering towards the dragon, Hiccup fell to his knees. Resting his head on Toothless' side, he listened. A faint but steady heartbeat fluttered within.

Desperate to revive his friend, Hiccup rubbed the dragon's freezing skin. It felt like forever before Toothless stirred.

Grunting quietly, the Night Fury cracked open one eye, a sliver of amber in the darkness.

"You're gonna be okay, bud," Hiccup breathed, lungs burning with the cold air he took in with every breath. His head throbbed, and his stomach churned with nausea. Ignoring his own ailments, he continued rubbing, trying to generate a little more heat.

Meanwhile, they were being watched. A creature of virulence and malice sat in the shadows. Alert, yet still.

xxx

Finally, once Toothless had gathered enough energy to stand again, Hiccup helped him to his feet. Sniffing the air, the dragon made a guttural sound. Confused and disoriented, Toothless' senses were altered. He whimpered, as if realizing this. Both of them knew that without superior hearing and smell, there would be no warning of danger.

"Let's go," Hiccup said anyway. They couldn't risk staying so close to the entrance. They had been pulled in a few paces, just enough to get out of the wind. However, there was a fire somewhere, and people.

xxx

Shuffling farther in, Hiccup stayed alert as possible, listening. Toothless slunk beside him, looking nervous. There was a foreboding aura to the place. Something lurked here, dark and mysterious. Something old, perhaps ancient. Something powerful, yet elusive.

Something…

Before Hiccup could take another step, a shadow dropped in their path, blocking their way with a furious snarl. Toothless screeched with panic, leaping in front of his rider. Hiccup stared at the creature before them, paralyzed by shock.

It looked like a dragon, about the same shape and stature as Toothless, but bigger, with more muscle and fat. Covered in scars, the dragon's species could barely be identified. Something about it, though…something Hiccup couldn't quite comprehend at the moment.

It looked like …

a Night Fury?

" _Vertu kyrr_ , Mörgum."

At the command, the creature retreated, backing away to reveal the figure of a human standing behind it. The dragon lowered its head in obedience, yet kept its eyes on Hiccup and Toothless.

"... W-we're not here to cause trouble," Hiccup stuttered, his speech still broken from the cold. He glanced at the dragon, who growled quietly. "... We just need a place to stay, to get out of the storm…"

For a long time, the stranger was quiet. Hiccup squinted at him, trying to make out his features. There was a thick cloak draped over his shoulders, disguising his stature. With the firelight glowing faintly from behind, shadows hid his face.

The stranger looked to his dragon, the creature stared at Hiccup with an unblinking gaze.

"Forgive Mörgum, she is bitter in this place." He said finally, "The cold has not been kind to her, and likely it will treat you and your dragon in the same way. Come."

xxx

The stranger led them to a sort of room at the end of the tunnel. In the middle of the floor, a small fire crackled. With no fuel in sight, the fire seemed to burn on it's own, self-sustaining and warm.

"Sit, sit. Make yourselves comfortable." Said the stranger, walking to the opposite side of the fire. Finding a makeshift bench, Hiccup did as he was told, not wanting to seem rude. Especially with that other dragon around, Mörgum. She acted like a guard dragon, following her master and keeping one eye trained on the visitors at all times.

Toothless moved close to his rider, watching the she-dragon that sat erect beside the fire. Hiccup patted his neck,

"It's okay, bud." He whispered. Though he wasn't sure himself.

Meanwhile, the stranger stood with his back turned, taking something out of a nook in the ice. Turning to face them, Hiccup nearly fell out of his seat. The stranger was not, in fact, a man, but a woman. Old and grey, with tangled silver braids draping over her shoulders. She blinked at him,

"Is there something wrong?"

Hiccup shook his head, composing himself. "No, no…-What is that?"

The woman smiled, tossing it to him. Catching the thing clumsily, Hiccup squinted in the firelight. A tough strip of meat, sinewy and cold.

"I'm afraid it's all I can give you for now." The woman said quietly, taking a seat herself. The floor was covered in animal skins, many of which Hiccup did not recognize.

Nodding his thanks, Hiccup tasted the stuff. It was both gamey and fishy, and very tough. He gnawed off a piece for Toothless, who chewed hungrily.

The woman chuckled. She had a low, masculine voice. However, there was a warmth about her. Definitely a Viking woman.

"It appears your dragon loves seal almost as much as Mörgum." She said, taking half of her own share and tossing it to the dragon. Mörgum snatched the jerky out of the air and swallowed it whole. Smacking her lips, she resumed her watch.

"She seems… alert." Hiccup commented, still working on his first mouthful.

"Indeed." The woman nodded, then paused. "... I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced, my name is Ragna."

"... Hiccup." He replied, chewing. Ragna chuckled again, the looked at Toothless. A thoughtful look crossed her face.

Swallowing the still-tough jerky, Hiccup asked,

"How did you get here anyway?"

Ragna sighed, looking back to him.

"It's strange, really." She admitted, "I arrived here in much the same way that you just have…"


	3. Ragna's Story

**Ragna's Story**

Hiccup listened attentively, working on his seal jerky as Ragna spoke;

"... It was almost three years ago." She began, "I had left my island in search of a new one. Mörgum here flew me many miles in my search." She stroked the dragon's neck fondly.

"... However, we were blown off course in the Spring winds. Mörgum was already very weak, and we landed here, on this very iceberg." She paused, lost in memories. "... Poor Mörgum broke both wings and one of her legs. It was a miracle that I ever got her to safety."

Hiccup shivered slightly. It was similar to how they had just arrived. He glanced at Toothless, who now tended to his own broken wing.

Meanwhile, Ragna continued;

"Time passed, and I feared that Mörgum would never heal. She did, in time, but she was not the same as before. Her wings grew twisted and she still walks with a bit of a limp. Over time… her flight membranes froze off completely."

Shocked, Hiccup glanced at Mörgum. It was true. All that was left of her wings were twisted, bare spines. She would never be able to fly again.

"We were determined, however." Ragna said, stroking her dragon thoughtfully. "We made this place our home. The seals are plentiful, and Mörgum has even caught a white bear." Hiccup realized that must be what Ragna's strange cloak was made of.

Ragna paused, looking at the fire. The flames reflected in her dark eyes.

"It was only by divine providence that we are still alive."

As if coming out of a trance, she blinked, looking back to Hiccup.

"You should get some rest. Tomorrow, Mörgum and I will hunt, and there will be fresh meat for you."

Hiccup nodded slowly. With Toothless' broken wing, they wouldn't be going anywhere soon. Best to make themselves comfortable, and hope for the best.


	4. Sagan Mörgum

**Sagan Mörgum**

Morning came earlier than Hiccup remembered. Ragna shook him awake;

"Wake up, boy," She said, "The seals will not stay long."

Rubbing his eyes, Hiccup sat up. It took him a moment to remember what was going on.

Right. He thought, Hunting.

At least an activity would give him some time to learn more about his host. Ragna was a strange woman, independant. Her warmth gave him a reason to trust her, however. Yes, she was trustworthy, but she seemed to be hiding something…

Suddenly, Hiccup remembered.

"Toothless!" He gasped, looking over to his dragon. He had forgotten to tend to his wing!

"Your dragon is just fine." Ragna assured him. "He is at the mouth of the cave watching the seals with Mörgum."

"...But his wing, I didn't-"

"His wing is fine. He may have torn a muscle, but there were no broken bones." She said, picking up the string of hooks she had been fiddling with. "...You're lucky he didn't end up like poor Mörgum." She murmured, slinging the rope over her shoulder. She nodded at a spear on the wall. "Grab that javelin. We must be swift."

xxx

Ragna had been right. Toothless sat at the mouth of the cave, his wing looking like normal again. Seeing his rider, the dragon pranced in a happy circle, showing him. However, when he tried to stretch the wing out, he yelped, snapping it back in.

"You're gonna have to let that heal, bud." Hiccup told him, rubbing the dragon's head. Toothless sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to fly for some time.

Meanwhile, Ragna slung the rope of hooks over Mörgum's back, looking over her shoulder at them.

"Come on, boys, we haven't much time!"

xxx

The dragons walked on foot in the snow, their human companions trudging beside them. Toothless went slowly, trying to get a grip on the pack ice, while Mörgum forged ahead. She had done this before, her weight and long claws giving her an advantage.

They came to a gap in the ice, a deep crevice that separated them from the seals that lounged on the other side, oblivious to their hunters.

Mörgum cleared the gap with ease, Ragna following close behind. For an older woman, she was agile.

Hiccup stared at the gap, licking his lips. Toothless bent down, looking at his rider.

"Yeah," Hiccup said, climbing into the saddle. "Maybe we should do this together."

Toothless got ready to jump, muscles tensing. However, when he left the ground, instinct told him to spread his wings. In mid-jump, Toothless cried out, dropping like a stone. There was a screech from above, and jaws clamped down on Toothless' neck.

Tail lashing with the effort, Mörgum dragged the two out of the crevice, unharmed. Ragna helped Hiccup stand.  
"Are you alright?" She asked, "I should have told you. Not even Mörgum can clear this ravine with a rider weighing her down."

Mörgum shook herself out, as if agreeing. Toothless stared at her, somewhat in awe. For an old, beat-up dragon, she was strong. Despite her sullen disposition, she seemed… protective. Almost motherly, in a strange sort of way.

Hiccup shook his head, still not quite able to figure it out. Mörgum looked just like a Night fury… but he had been so sure that Toothless was the last.

As if reading his thoughts, Mörgum glanced at Hiccup, swishing her tail.

What are you? He wondered. What is your secret?

xxx

Hiccup lay on his belly, looking down at the small group of seals below. Toothless crouched beside him. They had climbed up onto a small ledge, just tall enough that the pack wouldn't notice them.

Ragna and Mörgum lay nearby.

Ragna spoke;

"See the one on the edge of the group?" she whispered, pointing to a fat old seal lying farther away from the others. Hiccup nodded.

"The best catch I've seen all season. You have come at a plentiful time."

Mörgum shifted, watching the same seal. Ragna placed her hand on the dragon's neck, stilling her.

"Come." She whispered, "Before we are noticed."

xxx

The hunt was swift and clean. With Mörgum's experience, and Ragna's good aim, the fat seal was loaded onto the string of hooks on Mörgum's back. As Ragna cleaned her javelin, Hiccup couldn't help asking;

"So… what's up with Mörgum, anyway? She seems…"

"Bitter?" Ragna suggested. "Yes, she is not the same as she once was. Ever since we were stranded here, her sorrow has been her downfall."

"Whoa, what's wrong with her? Besides the obvious, I mean."

Ragna sighed. "I'm afraid she's grieving."

"... Grieving?"

"Aye. Every season, when her time comes, she lays her egg. When they do not hatch, she is lost in sorrow. She will not even allow me to comfort her. Years of loss have hardened her old heart."

Hiccup stared at the dragon in sympathy. He knew the pain.

"That's sad…" He murmured. Ragna nodded.

"She is one of the last of her kind," She added in a low voice. "A genuine Night Fury, from the times of old."

Hiccup gasped, "She _is_ a Night Fury!"

"You seem to know a lot about dragons for your age." She commented, smiling. "Yes, a Night Fury. She was the last female."

A million thoughts raced through Hiccup's head at that moment, most of them involving saving a species. Ragna chuckled, breaking his thoughts.

"I know what you're thinking." She said. "You want to save their species by pairing your dragon with Mörgum."

"You say that like it isn't the greatest discovery of the century." Hiccup told her. Ragna laughed.

"I said she _was_ the last female. Mörgum has already chosen a mate. Besides, Night Furies have a strict policy of not reproducing with offspring."

"...Offspring?" Hiccup inquired, supremely confused.

"Mörgum recognizes him." She said cryptically, nodding at Toothless. "Though it may be hard to tell, she is being kind to him. A mother always remembers her children."

Hiccup's head spun with the reality that Ragna spoke. She said it so plainly, as if Night Furies were so common that one could easily reunite a mother and son.

They arrived at the ravine again.

"It seems that you know less about dragons than you think." Ragna mused, not unkindly, however. "I will tell you more when we get back to the cave."


	5. More

**More**

Hiccup could hardly believe how calm Ragna was about all this. Two Night Furies, a mother and son, supposedly. Were there more? Did Toothless have siblings? A father, perhaps? If so, where were they?

Ragna focused on cleaning the seal as she spoke;

"Mörgum's full name is Móðir Mörgum, Mother of Many."

"There are others?" Hiccup asked.

"Somewhere. For all I know, they could still be back home at the breeding grounds."

"Breeding grounds! You're a breeder?"

"You might say that."

Hiccup shook his head in amazement. There were _more_ of them. More Night Furies. Toothless wasn't the last! Suddenly, something occurred to him;

"But… how could you be a breeder? Dragons and Vikings have been at war for years."

"It seems that the war has ended." Ragna commented, nodding at Toothless. "But I understand what you mean. My husband was of a rare breed of Viking that had a heart for Dragons. An outcast among the people. I found him independant, and mysterious. This man knew a beautiful secret. The secret to an alliance between Dragons and Humans. I was captivated, and immediately fell in love. Both with him and the Dragons. We married of course, and I was rejected by my family in doing so. However, we lived happily for a few years. Raising three children with whom we shared the wonders of Dragons." She paused, signing. She set down the knife and tossed the meat into the pan over the fire. Hiccup waited for the story to continue.

"... The older ones refused to accept it, siding with our violent community in the war against these creatures." She stroked Mörgum's ear as the dragon rested her head in her mistress' lap.

"... Only the youngest shared our enthusiasm. Our little girl. She was our hope. Perhaps we could still convince the others. However…" She hesitated, eyes growing misty in the light of the fire. "...However… the town had had enough of our campaign. Erland and I… were banished from our home."

"What about your children?" Hiccup breathed, almost afraid to ask.

"Taken." She replied, closing her eyes. "Given to another family, deemed more capable than us."

Hiccup looked at the floor. It was all so much to take in… And Ragna spoke with such emotion, such passion, that he knew it was all true.

"There was only one thing we could do." Ragna continued, composing herself as she turned the meat. "We left."

xxx

Hiccup stared at Ragna as she pulled the pan off the fire, almost forgetting to catch his share when she tossed it to him. The story couldn't end there, and he wanted to hear more.

Ragna knew that she couldn't keep him from the rest of the story. For years, she had held it in, with no one to understand. So, she continued;

"I was heartbroken, and Erland had no way to comfort me. We could only do as we were told, and leave our home. But we had one small victory in the end; when Erland called down a Night Fury from the sky, taking me and riding away on its back. We left the people who rejected us, but at the same time, mourned for our children, who likely wouldn't remember us."

Mörgum sighed, as if sympathizing with her mistress. Toothless pressed closer to Hiccup, whimpering.

"The Night Fury was Vinur, Mörgum's mate. We flew for miles, until we arrived at an island untouched by man."

"... The breeding grounds…" Hiccup murmured. Ragna nodded.

"We made our new home among the last Night Furies. At first, there were about ten of them. Perhaps the last ten in existence. Erland and I made it our purpose to care for them and help raise their young. By the time I last saw them, there may have been twenty or thirty of them."

"Twenty or thirty…" Hiccup murmured. Even such small numbers were amazing to him. Just one other Night Fury was baffling enough, but twenty, thirty of them? It was like a dream come true.

Despite the sheer awesomeness of the discovery, Ragna still seemed sad.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "The Night Furies are back! _You_ saved them! Now Toothless isn't the last, and when you get back to your island, there will be even more!"

Ragna nodded. "Aye. But in the course of it all, I lost everything."

Hiccup's excitement dwindled as he saw the years of sorrow in the old woman's eyes.

"... Erland was killed breaking up a fight between two males. It was on that day that I realized I had given up everything for these creatures. My reputation, my home, even my children. But when Erland died, I knew that he was the one who had truly given everything. Even his life."

xxx

The story went on as they ate. After Erland's death, Ragna decided that he would follow in her husband's footsteps. Her first action was to find another island, to expand and make more room for the dragons so that they wouldn't fight. That was when she got lost, ending up on this iceberg in the middle of nowhere. With no way to know whatever happened to the other Night Furies.

A noble woman, indeed.


	6. Family Reunion

**Family Reunion**

"-What about your daughter?" Hiccup asked out of the blue. He had been staying with Ragna and Mörgum for almost five days now. Toothless' wing was healing nicely, and they would be able to leave soon. But Hiccup had made a friend, and he wasn't sure if he was quite ready to go.

Ragna chuckled, putting the last strip of jerky into the nook.

"My little Dragon lover. Ah, she was a lovely little girl. Sometimes I wondered if a passion for Dragons was hereditary. She acted just like her father."

"What was her name?"

"Valka."

xxx

Hiccup stared at Ragna in disbelief.

" _Valka?_ " He said, "Your daughter's name is _Valka?_ "

"Yes," Ragna replied, "... Is there something wrong, Hiccup?"

"My mother's name is Valka!"

There was silence for a long time. Ragna raised her fingers to her lips, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

"... You look just like him… " She whispered. "... My Erland…'

xxx

It took a few minutes of stunned silence to let the realization sink in. It wasn't a new feeling, especially within the past few days. So much had been learned, but this…

"So, you're my… _grandmother?_ " Hiccup asked, still barely able to believe it.

"... I… I suppose so…" Ragna said quietly, sitting down. She looked back at him, desperation in her eyes.

"Is… is my Valka still alive?"

Hiccup swallowed the lump in his throat, blinking.

"Y-yeah, she is…" He replied quietly.  
"Where is she?" Ragna asked, begging for more.

"... Back home," He murmured, "On Berk."

"... Berk…" Ragna breathed. "... Home."

"Wow…" Hiccup sighed, sitting down. Toothless looked up at him from the fat scraps he was sharing with Mörgum.

"... I have a _grandson…_ " Ragna whispered.

xxx

HIccup paused, looking up. Ragna was watching him again. He still couldn't get over the fact that this woman was his grandmother. It didn't seem right to call her that. She was youthful, despite her age. Strong, and, admittedly, beautiful.

Ragna laughed a little.

"Forgive me." She said. "... I suppose I still can't quite grasp all of this." She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully, lost in fond memories.

"You really do look like him, you know." She told him. "...Your grandfather, I mean."

"Erland." Hiccup said. Ragna nodded.

"Erland."

For a minute, there was silence. Hiccup turned back to finish checking Toothless' wing, which was healing quite nicely. Ragna spoke again as he worked;

"... What… what is is like? On Berk."

Hiccup thought for a few moments, tying off the last bandage. Soon, the tear would be completely healed.

"It's not like it was before, if that's what you're thinking." He replied, turning. "... Everyone rides Dragons now. The war is over."

Ragna sighed with relief. "That is news I thought I would never hear. Who is chief?"

Hiccup hesitated, flushing a bit.

"...I am…"

Blinking with surprise, Ragna's expression faded into an impressed smile.

"-Well then, I suppose you are the one responsible for this change, are you not?"

Hiccup nodded.

"And yet you look not a day over twenty. How is this, that you made more progress with the alliance than I or my husband could make in our entire lives?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I never hated the Dragons. My dad…" He paused, remembering how he had come to be chief after it all. "... My dad was the last chief."

"Than you had an influence on him?"

"Not really. It took a lot of persuading, and, a little help from some friends."

Toothless crooned, nudging his rider's hand. Hiccup smiled, scratching the dragon's head.

"It's a beautiful thing." Ragna said quietly. "... Just to hear that things have changed. I can die in peace now."

"Die?" Hiccup scoffed. "You're not going to die."

Ragna shook her head. Hiccup realized she wasn't joking.

"... I am ill, Hiccup. Since before you arrived, I have felt the shadow of death looming at my door. My days are few now, but you have given me hope."

"Ragna, I'm so sorry…"

She smiled. "Don't be sorry for me, Hiccup. I am not afraid of dying. Besides, the disease has not taken me quite yet. Perhaps I will be able to see this paradise you've brought about after all."

"What do you think it is?" Hiccup asked quietly. Ragna sighed, her smile fading.

"I do not know. But I feel it, deep within me. It pricks at my heart and burns in my lungs, and my bones don't work the same way. I am dying, but I am not in much pain. That, I am grateful for."

 _Grateful._ Hiccup thought grimly. _How does she think that way?_


	7. A New Revelation

**A New Revelation**

Toothless was healed, and ready to leave when the time came. There was no excuse for hesitation. However, Hiccup watched the fire, hoping time would slow. Ragna's voice broke his trance;

"Food is ready, Hiccup."

Trying to seem lighthearted, Hiccup smiled;

"Thank the gods. I'm starving."

Ragna handed him his share, walking to her side of the fire.

"Gods." She murmured. "... And what do you know of gods, Hiccup?"

Hiccup stared at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "They're _gods_. Odin, Thor, Loki, Tyr, Freya, Sif… The list goes on, but I'm sure you already know it."

"Oh, I know it." Ragna replied. "A list of wishful fantasies. Daydreams of an ancient fool, looking for some way to hide."

"Hide?" Hiccup asked with his mouth full. He tore off a piece for Toothless. Ragna sighed.

"You may be a great man in bringing Humans and Dragons together, but you know so very little. The gods we grew up knowing are myths. Shameful lies…"

Hiccup nearly choked in his offense.

"Wait a minute," He said, "First you tell me you're a Dragon Rider, next, your Dragon is not only a Night Fury, but _you're_ a Night Fury _breeder._ Supposedly, you're my _grandmother,_ who is dying, by the way, and now you're challenging _gods?_ What kind of woman are you, anyway?"

Ragna looked hurt, but spoke with painful truth;

"A woman who has seen far more than you have, apparently."

Hiccup halted, realizing what he had just said.

"... I'm sorry…"

Ragna sighed.

"I don't blame you, Hiccup. This has been hard for me, too. But you must understand, there is more. Much more…"

She stared at the fire. Hiccup followed her gaze. The fire. Ever-burning, yet he had never seen Ragna put a splinter of wood on it. No trees grew around here, and not a pebble of coal to be found.

Then… how did it burn?

"This very fire…" Ragna's voice echoed, thought her words were softly spoken. "... Is fed by forces I myself do not understand. But I trust it, because it has given me warmth and light in a place of darkness and cold." She paused, looking back up at him. Her eyes reflected a strange light that Hiccup didn't see.

"... That is what _He_ is like, Hiccup." She whispered. "He is Einn. The One. The All. There is nothing like Him, Hiccup. Don't you see? _He is._ "

 _I Am._

The voice seemed to come from all around, deep like the Ocean and lovely like the stars. A voice of song and of weeping, grief and laughter.

Ragna smiled, then looked at Hiccup. She looked different, younger. Radiant.

 _I Am._ The voice faded, but the feeling left Hiccup's chest swollen in ecstasy. Those two words, spoken by the lips of a creature beyond the realm of nature, beyond space, and time itself. Two words: _I Am._

 _Einn. The One. The All._


	8. Goodbye?

**Goodbye?**

It was time. Hiccup knew. A pang in his gut told him it was time to go home. Berk was waiting, his mother was waiting.

Paradise, as Ragna had called it.

"It has been an adventure, Hiccup." She said to him as he mounted up on Toothless. That much was obvious.

"... You're sure you don't want to come?" He asked her for the hundredth time. More like Seventy-fourth, actually.

Ragna shook her head sadly.

"You know I would love to." She sighed. "But my place is here, now. Besides, what would happen to Mörgum? I couldn't leave her here alone."

The old Dragon nuzzled her mistress, looking both thankful and apologetic that Ragna had decided to stay with her. Ragna smiled a little, stroking her ear.

"Like I said, we could send people to come pick her up-"

"No, Hiccup." Ragna cut him off. "You and I both know that I must stay, and you must go."

Hiccup nodded sadly, knowing that there was no way to talk her out of it. Ragna was dying, and she wished to do so in peace. He only felt sorry that he wouldn't be able to grieve for her. Even after all the new things he had learned from her in this short time, she was still like a stranger to him. She had shared so much with him, helped him understand more than he could have ever learned in twenty years. Yet he still barely knew her. His own grandmother.

The only question now was what to tell his mother, Valka. If he told her anything.

But how could he keep all this to himself? He had discovered something far more important than Dragons. Ragna had a secret. A wonderful secret.

One that was meant to be shared with the World.

"Alright, then…" He murmured. He couldn't help wondering why all of his adventures ended with a bittersweet flavor on his tongue.

"Oh, Hiccup." Ragna sighed, taking his hand. "Please don't be sad. After all," She smiled a little, "...This may not be the last time you see me."

Hiccup laughed.

"Of course." He said. "I wouldn't be surprised, to be honest."

"There you go." She said. "Now go on! Go home, and tell everyone. For Einn!"

Toothless leapt up, beating his wings and stirring the snow as he rose into the clear blue sky.

"For Einn." Hiccup repeated to himself as he looked over his shoulder, "The One, The All."


	9. The Last Great Adventure

**The Last Great Adventure**

Upon his return to Berk, Hiccup was greeted with laughter and celebration. He realized just how much he missed his home in the times that he was away. He decided that he would stay put, and govern his town properly. Ragna had given him much to think about, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was time to settle down. For real, this time. After all, Astrid's patience was wearing thin. It was about time they married, he figured.

And so it was. However, through wedding preparations and arranging governors over the other islands, Hiccup began to forget his last great adventure. Ragna and Mörgum became distant memories, ever-present, but faded.

xxx

Meanwhile, Ragna wondered whether she would ever see her grandson again. Every day, her time grew nearer. Would Hiccup know when she died? Would he even care?

Mörgum never left her mistress' side, for she, too, was growing old. They had shared one last great adventure. A woman with a heart for Dragons, and her companion, the Mother of Many.

xxx

As the two drifted farther apart in the course of time, things settled back into place. The war between Humans and Dragons was over. Threats had been neutralized, and Hiccup was ready if any others arose. The town of Berk was lively and energetic. There was new life, and a wonderful secret was being passed around. A mysterious light that touched hearts and left a wonderful feeling. Something beautiful. Something beyond the realm of nature, beyond space, and time itself.

Every adventure had come to a bittersweet end; and the greatest adventure of all had been no exception.

For Ragna. For Mörgum.

For Einn. The One. The All.


	10. Epilogue

**Goodbye.**

(Years later)

A little boy trotted ahead of his parents, too young and energetic to pay his respects. Behind him, his father shook his head.

"Why doesn't he listen?"

His wife chuckled. "He's only four. Give him some time." She shifted, supporting the toddler in her arms with her hip.

"Anyway…" The man murmured, setting the flowers next to the memorial. For a minute, he was silent, thinking. His Dragon, an old Night Fury, walked up beside him. Nuzzling his master's hand.

"... Love you, Mom."

xxx

Meanwhile, four-year-old Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Fourth ran through the meadow at the edge of the cliff. Below, the sea roared. The boy chased a butterfly to the edge, stopping when he came too close. He watched the butterfly dance out of his reach. Looking back at his parents, young Hiccup tried to snatch it out of the air. He stumbled.

A flash of white shot up from below, catching the boy just in time.

The white Dragon hovered, carrying the child away from the ledge before setting him down. Hiccup stared up at the creature in awe. It looked like a Night Fury, crystalline and shimmering white. A young woman perched on it's back, looking down at him with kind eyes.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

The boy nodded, mouth agape. The radiant woman chuckled, looking up at the child's parents, who stood at a memorial stone, seeming not to have noticed anything.

"I have brought you a present." She said. "Mörgum, would you call our friends, please?"

The white Dragon seemed to nod. Raising her head, she gave a long, loud, roar. The sound ripped through the air, and the child covered his ears.

"Don't be afraid, Hiccup." The woman's voice spoke through the clamour. "Look; here they come!"

The boy looked up. Far off on the horizon, a cloud was forming.

No, not a cloud…

"Dragons!" Shouted a guard from the watchtower. "Dragons are coming from the North!"

xxx

Hiccup looked up from his mother's grave. It was true. Hundreds, maybe thousands of black dragons were gathering on the Horizon, streaming in from all directions and heading towards Berk.

"Night Furies…" He whispered. Suddenly, his son came running up;

"Papa! Papa! I saw 'n Angel!" He shrieked excitedly, pointing. "Look, look!"

Hiccup nodded. "I see them," He said. The boy looked back at the cliff. The white dragon and her beautiful rider had vanished.

"But…" He murmured, confused.

"Come on!" His father urged, "Everyone needs to see this!"

xxx

Ragna watched as Hiccup dragged his dazed son back towards the houses. The place really had changed.

"Did you hear that, mother?" Asked a voice from behind. Ragna turned. Valka chuckled, nodding at the boy.

"He thinks you're an angel."

Ragna smiled. "A lovely grandson you have, my dear."

"He's your _great_ -grandson." Valka reminded her. She nodded, looking back fondly.

"Yes." She murmured.

After the giddy family disappeared into the town, Valka sighed.

"Where shall we go now, then?"

Ragna looked back at her. "Where else? Home."

Valka smiled. "Home."

As the scene began to fade, Ragna caught a glimpse of Hiccup. Her grandson, the chief.

"Goodbye." She whispered. "Please remember me."

 **A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Hope you liked it, even though there's probably a lot of mistakes. I kind of just threw it together out of an old idea I had for a while. Anyway, thanks! God bless, and stay wonderful!**


	11. Fun Facts!

**Hi everybody! Thanks for reading my How to Train your Dragon fanfiction! Hope you enjoyed it! Here's a few fun facts from the making of this story:**

 **xxx**

 **All the crazy words and names you read? Icelandic and Old Norse. Thanks to Google, I was able to get some authentic names and words that may (or may not have) been used by Vikings. I do this for a lot of my stories. (I.E. Japanese in Triple Beat, Latin in Never Fear, etc…)**

 **So here's what all those crazy words mean:**

 **Ragna = "Giving Advice" (Female name; Old Norse)**

 **Móðir** **Mörgum = "Mother of Many" (Icelandic)**

 **Vertu Kyrr = "Be still" or "Stand still" (Icelandic)**

 **Erland = "Outsider" or "Foreigner" (Male name; Old Norse)**

 **Vinur = "Friend" (Icelandic)**

 **Einn = "One" (Icelandic)**

 **And, of course, there's a reason for all this. I wanted just the right meaning behind each name Ragna's name comes from her wise and advising personality. Mörgum, of course, because she had numerous offspring. Erland was an outsider among his people for being a Dragon-lover, Vinur, being his loyal companion. And, of course, Einn, the One, the All. Because God is unlike any other, who is and was and is yet to come. He is.**

 **xxx**

 **Thanks again so much, to all of you. Stay wonderful, and, of course, God bless you all!**

 **-Wonder**


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